


FE Gen Week 2018 Day 3 - Exploration/Underwater

by airlock



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken | Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword
Genre: Gen, someone gets dunked in the pool and I ain't saying who, you'll have to read if you want to find out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-07 01:00:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16843975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/airlock/pseuds/airlock
Summary: Originally forFE Gen Week. In which Nino's metaphorical reflections on her life over a pool of water get interrupted by her stupid brothers.





	FE Gen Week 2018 Day 3 - Exploration/Underwater

A small hand hovers the water's surface -- too craven to pierce through it. The only light to be seen within the pool is that reflecting off however many of the precarious purple-tiled corridors are submerged; beneath, pure darkness swallows up the edge of vision.

Young Nino's eyes fixate on this very darkness. It's fearsome to behold, but must it be feared? Is there a world beneath it? A light, a better place? Even if there were, she can't see; she stands too far away to see through. To come closer seems uncomfortable and painful. She doesn't know what would happen if she tried to. But how else could she understand?

The hand digs into the water in a sudden jerk. The water is horrifyingly cold, although Nino shudders and trembles mostly from within. She winces, first, looking away from the pool; then, slowly, she tries to turn her head back around, looking at her own hand. It's still only about half an inch into the water. The abyss remains about as far down as it was before. How much more effort would it take to reach into the dark? To see it, and understand it, and know what it wants?

The noise of rusted plates moving catches Nino's attention. The base's hidden mechanical wonders spring into action -- and she soon notices, the water is coming up. A part of her mind desperately hopes to take this opportunity to stand her ground and let the water take her in. By simply accepting its embrace, she might just come closer. It would be a lot colder and more uncomfortable than digging into it with her hand, but it sounds right. But it sounds difficult. But it sounds right. Her feet prove to be more decisive than her mind, and she bounds for high ground, staying out of the water.

Looking at the ramp that dispassionately stays underwater behind her, Nino feels guilty for the choice to make for a dry platform on high. She strayed even further from that curious place below, and for what reason? Nothing but cowardice. She crouches at the end of the floor, her arms drawn to herself and her eyes drawn below. It's her fault. It's because of her fear that she can never make it there. That she can never forge her away beyond this predicament. That she would never find her way through the dark.

A heavy hand suddenly pushed her shoulder, and she felt herself fall. She could only see or hear terror for a moment; when she came to, however, her knees and palms were on still dry tiles. Her body had righted itself without input.  
"Whoa there, bucko! Thought you were gonna fall in?"  
"Linus! You big jerk! I almost..."  
"Hey, hey... Are you crying? You don't gotta cry. Look, I'd never push you into the pool for real, alright?"  
"Really?"  
"Yeah, I promise! Cross my heart and hope to die!" The heavy hand now fell on Nino's head -- gently, messing up her short hair.

"Hey, what are you guys up to?" Lloyd's voice perfectly projected itself forward at Nino's ears -- and then he was promptly shoved into the water.  
"Linus!"  
"I said I wouldn't push _you_ into the pool, didn't I?"  
"I am going to kill you, Linus!!" Lloyd's voice sounded less perfect as it gargled through water. Linus tried to respond, but his voice could hardly compete with his own laughter.  
"You know we don't throw _that_ word around for anything, huh?"  
"Then you'd best believe it! Because I'm really going to kill you, you assh- you big dunderhead!" And just as Lloyd's palms frantically grabbed at the edge of a thin corridor, the water started to flow back down, throwing off his fragile balance and denying him reach of dry ground.

Nino couldn't help but chuckle as well, watching her brother flail hopelessly upwards as the surface of the water dragged him down. He was in no danger; he could swim just fine, although jumping onto the floor grew more impossible by the moment. Although the swinging of his arms and his incoherent, angry grunts painted less than elegant of a figure, she couldn't help but look up to his strength; having taken that unexpected fall, he was not scared, and he could swim, and he wasn't even _thinking_ of being scared, as all he could think of was climbing back up and getting back at Linus.

"You know what, Linus? When I'm ready... I want you to push me in, too."  
"Eh? Like... what do you mean?"  
"It doesn't... It doesn't look so scary when there's someone there with you."  
"Wait, okay, hold up... Do you even know how to swim, Nino?"  
"Huh? ... No, I don't."  
"Then, when you learn how to swim, I'm gonna push you in as often as you want to!"  
"You promise?!"  
"I promise! Cross my heart and hope to-"  
"You won't have to hope!" Lloyd must have swam for one of the lower corridors at some point; he now stood halfway over a ramp, soaking wet and sporting a vengeful grin. "I'm bringing the Fang's watery justice down on you, brother!"  
"Ah! Watch out, Nino! He's crazy!"  
"Linuuuuuus...!"  
The young brothers Reed chased each other over the precarious walkways, peerless in their athleticism, but no less playful for it. Nino couldn't wait to become strong like her brothers.


End file.
